Empowerment or abandonment? Prospects for neighbourhood revitalization under the big society

Abstract

This article explores the impact of recent trends towards privatism through a study of neighbourhood governance in Baltimore and Bristol and considers its implications for the big society in the UK. The self-help ideology of the big society has been prevalent in Baltimore for many years and the city's experience highlights profound difficulties in substituting volunteering for government-led revitalization. The article concludes that the Baltimore experience is a warning to British policy-makers, posing a major dilemma.

Keywords:

• neighbourhood
• governance
• big society
• Baltimore
• Bristol

Acknowledgements

Many thanks are due to all those in Baltimore and Bristol who gave their valuable time to participate in the research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jonathan S. Davies

Jonathan S. Davies is Professor of Critical Policy Studies, Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.

Madeleine Pill

Madeleine Pill is a research associate in the School of City & Regional Planning, Cardiff University, UK.